The dead soldier and the dying woman
by Hetaliawall
Summary: Natalia is a woman dying of a lung disease, Alfred is a soldier from the Civil war that is already dead. When they met on the one night he can be seen they must help each other to move on.
_September 17- 1862_

 _The battle of Antietam_

 _Alfred F Jones did what his major told him too, he kept his head down and his wits about him amongst the rain of bullets and shells. He blocked out the sound of agony from the men around him all dying for the same cause. They had to preserve the union, but not a nation in which human lives could be sold like cattle._

 _Another bullet tore past his scalp and Alfred was once again reminded of the importance of keeping low, unless he wanted a new haircut. Honestly though, he was in need of some grooming. The mud from this "Sunken Road" was caked onto his blue uniform, and it chilled him to the bone. The rain pelted them mercilessly, and Alfred could no longer distinguish between the sound of a mortar or shell, and that of the thunder rolling above, the sound bellowing as if to show the earths contempt at their brutality._

 _Beside the young soldier the major finally looked at the young boy, only just starting out in life, and roared out above the sound of the carnage._

" _Get to the other regiment boy! You don't need to be here now! Ask for help!"_

 _Alfred looked up at Maj. William H. French his eyes wide and his hands shaking. He wasn't a coward, but he knew that they needed help, and that he didn't want to die, not yet._

" _What sir?"_

" _You heard me! GO!"_

 _Alfred thought for a moment and then took his gun, setting out at a dead run across the field, not one to disobey orders. As he ran blindly his thoughts jumbled up in his mind, he could hardly think straight, but he knew what he had to do. He would join the other regiment and send word for more troops, he would help his regiment, he would help to win the war he would go back home and he would see his brother again, he woul-_

September 17- Present day

Natalia glared against the harsh daylight of the bright American sun and coughed roughly into her elbow. Natalia's family had sent her on a trip around the world to see the most haunted places in the world as her "last request." Natalia knew she was dying, and she did not mind the trip; however she did wish that her siblings had not been so insistent. In her opinion it was because they did not want to watch her slowly die, they were sentimental like that. Regardless the trip was interesting and taught her more about the spiritual world than she could ever learn by just reading about it in her many books, however she had not found exactly what she was looking for just yet.

The tour guide in front of her droned on and on about the significance of this "Sunken Road" or "Bloody Lane" as he referred to it. According to "numerous eye witnesses" reports had shown that every year on this night the figure of a soldier running across a field would appear, and then suddenly before he could reach the other side, he would disappear. It was as if he were trying to reach something, but never quite able to get there.

The crowd around her practically wept over this sad tale and the tour guide smiled knowing that these people would be buying the "lone soldier" merchandise later at the gift shop. Natalia of course was not fooled by any of his tricks and was growing to be rather tired of him and his overly cheerful, and yet sometimes "mysterious" voice. At the height of his annoying tour she broke off from the group, glad to be rid of him. Natalia easily found a small secluded tree next to the road that she could rest under, and there she pulled out a book on the history of this fateful site and began to read.

When the sun started to sink Natalia finally closed her book that was much less annoying than the "informative" tour guide and she set off across the field to the main road, which from her standpoint should have only been a short walk of a few miles.

However the way there was much longer than it appeared, and coupled with her illness that left her racked with coughs, the journey was slow going. Halfway there the sun finally sank completely and left her alone in the dark, the moon lazily rising. Natalia eased out a flashlight from her small travel bag and set back upon her way, the moon was not nearly enough light for this fall night, not even the bumpy ground before her could be seen.

Strangely, it seemed as if no matter how far she walked she could not get any closer, but of course she knew it had to be a trick of her dim flashlight, that had to be it. The only way she could tell that she was even moving was by the shin length grass hitting her jeans as she strode past.

When her legs grew weary she had to accept that something odd was going on, either supernatural or in her own mind for it was like an endlessly stretching field; she was never any closer to her goal. She looked at her watch and to her confusion she had been walking for over an hour, that is if her watch was even telling the truth. She did not know what to think anymore.

Natalia suddenly felt a cold wave wash over her back and she turned, the night was cold but there had not been any wind thus far. Seeing nothing in the dark behind her she begins to walk again until another cold wave washed over her, this time in her front. It was as if something or someone was trying to stop her. Natalia stopped dead in her tracks and peered around her, the weak flashlight only just barely illuminating the field below her.

"Who is there?"

Natalia stared about her critically but saw nothing and began again, still going at her calm and slow pace. Soon however an event occurred that she could not ignore. She had only gotten two feet ahead when suddenly a face appeared before her, filthy, pale, and stricken with horror.

"You have to get out of here miss! It is not safe here!"

Natalia reeled back before shining the light on the figure in front of her. He was wearing a standard issue Union army of the Potomac uniform, with the blue pants, blue wool coat with brass buttons and even the rifle and cap; it looked like it belonged in her history book or perhaps a museum. The figure also wore glasses that were crooked and his hair was unruly with one curl sticking straight up. The costume was perfectly detailed, too perfect. The detail was to such an extent that it looked as if he had been sleeping out in the forest for days.

"What do you mean it's not safe? What are you doing out here dressed like that?"

The figure gave her a strange look and eyed her own clothes. He seemed shocked at her skinny jeans and sweater, or perhaps he was just shocked at the lack of a coat as any rational human being would be since it was such a cold night by now.

"I have no idea what you mean miss but the rebels are just on the other side of the road and you might get caught in the crossfire! But don't worry miss, I will escort you to the other regiment and from there we can assure your safety back home."

Natalia looked into the figures wide eyes and realized that he was not just playing this "game" as a part of a prank; he _actually_ believed that he was back in the Civil War.

He must have been insane.

"You need help. There is no more fighting, and the war has already been won a long time ago. You would have to be a ghost if you really were at that battle."

The figure shakes his head fervently, looking more and more worked up now at the mention of the word ghost.

"No miss they're here! I _want_ to save you! We must go now! Please!"

While the figure glanced around as if expecting to get shot at any moment, Natalia pulled out her book one handed, coughing blood into the air around them since she was lacking an elbow. All thoughts of him being insane were gone when her blood passed through his leg and onto the grass without him even noticing.

It was a shock, but then this is what she had been looking for. This is why she _had_ to go on this trip. She might finally get some answers about what would happen to her when she died. Natalia was not afraid to die, but she was plagued by fears of the not knowing what would happen when she did cross over. If it was heaven, hell or just an empty void she did not want to be caught unaware.

She had to know.

The shock from the realization that he was a ghost only lasted a split second, and then she was back in control of her emotions and expressions.

"Look at this and you will see. The Union won and the war is over. It has been for many decades."

The figure finally stopped looking around him and stared with wide eyes at the book, the page was flipped to the battle of Sunken Lane. The graphic photographs of the bloody aftermath were more than enough evidence.

"But….I was….I _am_ here! That is happening now! How can this be in your book?!...I would have to be dead, and I am _not_ dead! I-I wouldn't be able to talk to you then miss! I'm sorry but I think that you are the one who needs help."

Natalia sighs and decides to try and talk some more to him. In the meantime the air had chilled around them and she coughed again. This weather was killing her.

"My name is Natalia. What is yours?"

The figure finally calmed down a bit and gave her a weak smile that seemed innocent. Natalia in the meanwhile was starting to shiver, she had to work quickly, and she couldn't afford to give him too much time to chat. By her watch it was eleven, and a new day would be starting, and he would disappear until the next year. She had hoped that time would work differently for them, since earlier her slow progress towards the road now seemed to be evidence of warped time in this area, on this night, or perhaps only when she was close to the soldier that was out of his time. Despite the long walk however her watch did not lie.

She did not have that long.

"My name is Alfred F Jones, private of the Union army of the Potomac. I used to live in Washington D.C, but where are you from?"

"I am from the country of Belarus… Alfred you are dead."

She would not sugar coat this, not when he had to move on to the afterlife before the day ended at midnight, and mostly not when she was slowly dying from the frigid exposure.

"B-but I can't be! How are you able to talk to me then?"

Natalia coughed a bit more into her elbow and then peered disdainfully at the droplets of bright crimson blood that shined when she set her flashlight upon it.

"Perhaps it is because I am dying. I suppose there could be a connection between us since we are both so close to the afterlife. Only we are in different forms."

Alfred glanced at her blood and then leaned over rummaging through a bag, allowing Natalia to see what he could not. On his back was a gaping hole located at his heart, and a blood soaked uniform. Someone had shot him in the back while he was trying to get away for help. While she was making this grim observation Alfred in the meanwhile was attempting to hand her a handkerchief, but as he laid it into her hands the object floated through her hand and fell upon the grass.

This was apparently the proof that Alfred needed to show him reality as he now sat down heavily, gripping his gun tightly in his hand as if it were a lifeline.

"….I am dead."

"I'm afraid so."

Alfred looked up at her; his eyes seemed to be searching for some hope.

"You know I was starting to guess that I was dead but…I didn't want to believe it. I was supposed to help win the war and free the slaves! I was going to go back to my brother Matthew and be a hero!"

Natalia eyed the pitiful figure and sat down next to him as she was racked by another round of coughs, harsher than the last. These left her entire chest aching and her throat sore and tense.

"It…..It is not bad….The Union…Still won. You still…won."

Alfred looked down at his gun and sighs softly.

"I suppose that is true….. _It must be true…_ You said that you were also dying?"

"Yes I am. I was born… with a rare disease that attacked my immune system and left me in danger of other diseases…. They could not even figure out which disease I have…now since I have had many in my lifetime but they think this will be my last…..Does it hurt to die?... What happens?"

Alfred looked at the ground and sighs softly as Natalia's hands shook with just the slighted amount of fatigue but more so with the cold sinking its way into her body and leaving her feeling numb.

"Don't worry, dying doesn't hurt Nat. It was just like going to sleep…..When you do die may I have the honor of escorting you into heaven? I want to introduce you to my brothers."

Natalia eyed him and nods slowly, her thoughts getting sluggish and thick now as her mind felt detached from her numb body. With a small smile Alfred set down his gun and began to fade away slowly, he was barely distinguishable when he gave her a small salute.

"I will see you again then….Thank you…..Nat."

Natalia slowly closed her eyes as he fully faded away, she needed some sleep…

Natalia peers up at the white ceiling of the hospital and coughs a deep cough that shook her to her very core. They had found Natalia the next morning laid on the cold field and had immediately taken her to the hospital. Her siblings had already come but she had driven them out quickly. She was not a fool and knew when it was her time, the hypothermia only helped to hasten her transition. Natalia closed her eyes and as she fell asleep, the last thing she heard was the insistent shrill beeping of a heart monitor.

…

…

 _Natalia opened her eyes and squinted against the radiant light that engulfed her. She was standing in a simple white dress and_ she _felt no fear. Instead there was only a peaceful bliss, nothing like she had ever known before. In front of her was Alfred in a new gleaming uniform with shining brass buttons. He smiled a radiant smile and offered her his elbow like a gentleman.  
"May I have the honor of escorting you in? I have some people you will want to meet." _


End file.
